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Broken Banks
The Broken Banks, formerly the Outer Banks, is a region in the former Southeastern Commonwealth referring to the barrier islands surrounding the former state of North Carolina. It is known for its treacherous islands and thriving trading community. The area is home to multiple trading factions of note, including Elizabeth City. The local vault is Vault 110 on Cape Hatteras. Geography The Broken Banks is composed of multiple islands and the coastal mainland of North Carolina. The pre-war landscape was nicknamed the Graveyard of the Atlantic due to multiple ships running aground or sinking due to the thin islands and high sandbar. After the Great War, however, the area became littered with multiple shipwrecks from refugees and traders to the region. With nothing to clean these ships up, these shipwrecks remain just under the murky waters, posing a massive threat to passing ships. When the bombs fell, the Broken Banks were not hit as hard as the rest of North Carolina. However, radiation from Wilmington has contaminated the eastern portions of the Broken Banks. The landscape of the Broken Banks is that of a parched beach usually, with long-dead brush posing a real fire threat. Roanoke Island remains fertile and green, though the Lost have prevented anybody from colonizing Roanoke. Every few years, a powerful hurricane will make its way to the shores of the Broken Banks, destroying communities and devastating the landscape. Two centuries of destruction by natural forces have left a lasting impression on the landscape. Abandoned communities that were never rebuilt litter the Broken Banks... assuming they weren't completely swept off the face of the Earth. History Early History Before the Great War, the Broken Banks was referred to as the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a series of barrier islands along the coast of North Carolina. Infamous for being treacherous waters, the Outer Banks were once referred to as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. High sandbars and rocks could easily spell doom for ships, taking them down even before the Great War. The Outer Banks were also known for tourism and commerce, the area generating great profit for the state of North Carolina and the entire Southeastern Commonwealth. The Outer Banks, along with the eastern coast of North Carolina itself, had been home to a large ecosystem. The biodiversity made the area home to many interesting forms of animal and plant life. The biodiversity was constantly threatened by run-off from various environmental hazards, including military bases and industrial sites. The Outer Banks had been home to over 60,000 people before the Great War. Its known history stretched back for centuries, though the earliest and most famous event that took place in the Outer Banks happened in Roanoke Island. This island was home to the famous 'Lost Colony,' which was founded in 1585 only to be found abandoned within five years. This enigmatic story captivated historians for centuries. As history progressed, the Outer Banks were subjected to various disasters, both man-made and natural. The US Civil War brought as much destruction to the Outer Banks as the various deadly hurricanes that pounded the islands over the span of United States history. The Resource Wars During the Resource War, the various shipyards of the Outer Banks pumped out ships and supplies for the war effort in Alaska. The fleets near the Outer Banks were also responsible for defending the East Coast should the Chinese attempt to make a sneak attack on the United States during the war in Alaska. As the war continued, Vault-Tec began commissioning vaults due to the fear that a nuclear or biological attack on the United States could put its people at risk. One such Vault was to be placed in Eastern North Carolina. In a controversial move, they ordered Vault 110 to be built on Hatteras Island. The Vault was placed beneath Cape Hatteras in the interests of catering to military personnel and their families rather than the citizens of Eastern North Carolina. This location provided optimal coverage for both parties. The unique choice of soil composition served Vault-Tec's interests as well. By placing Vault 110 on a coast, they doomed the Vault to be subjected by the erosion of the coastline on which it had been built. Aside from the experiment, it was a very standard Vault. The only thing worth noting in this Vault's history prior to the Great War is that it had been considered for a GECK, though Vault-Tec ultimately declined Vault 110's request for a GECK, citing location as its main concern. The Great War In 2077, the fragile peace that followed the Resource Wars was broken as the world was bathed in nuclear fire. The citizens of coastal North Carolina and various military personnel fled to Vault 110. Its doors closed mere moments after a nuclear strike on Wilmington took place. The last thing from the outside world the citizens of the Vault saw was the growing mushroom cloud in the distance where Wilmington had once been. Overall, North Carolina was not spared from the nuclear bombs, but the Outer Banks escaped relatively unscathed, at least for the time being. The most imminent danger was to the immediate south of the islands. Nuclear strikes in Wilmington and subsequent nuclear disaster at the Brunswick Nuclear Collection Plant contaminated lower coastal North Carolina. The ocean was polluted with radioactive material in the southern Broken Banks. Those that were stuck outside Vault 110 had to fend for themselves as the region fell into anarchy. Rise of the Families With no support from the federal government, rioting turned to chaos. Chaos turned to anarchy and desperation. Starvation and sickness led to entire communities being abandoned. However, some communities were able to restore order fairly quickly, including Elizabeth City and Manteo. These cities became refuges for starving survivors and their children. Other cities, such as Columbia, became centers of anarchy for decades. By 2100, a deep famine struck the Outer Banks. Some communities were able to adapt to living off of the riches of the seas while many other communities resorted to raiding or cannibalism while many more simply disbanded due to starvation or raiding. However, not every community suffered this cruel fate. Manteo on Roanoke Island and Elizabeth City on the mainland grew in power, coming into contact with various other communities. As the two rose to power, a group of powerful families began making their riches by trading across the Broken Banks. Before long, these families became synonymous with their host cities. Trade flourished in the mid 2100s until, one day in 2190, contact was lost with Manteo. Any and all teams sent to investigate never returned. To this day, nobody has ever returned from Roanoke Island. The common theory is that the island is inhabited by a group of raiders known as the Lost. Other theories, which stretch from plausible claims such as a virulent disease to outlandish claims, such as aliens. Still, Roakoke Island remains infamous and enigmatic, one of the many mysteries of post-apocalyptic United States. The loss of Roanoke Island hurt the economy of the families in the Broken Banks. Worse, the people of the islands were terrified that they would suffer the same fate that befell Roanoke Island. To counter against this perceived threat, the families realized that an alliance was necessary. In 2210, the Johnson Family of Elizabeth City proposed the Outer Banks Defense Pact. This pact guaranteed that all families would come to the aid of one family should it be attacked unjustly. Although this put minds at ease to a point, many families were still uneasy with each other. Pacts were created and alliances were forged. While war never broke out, it always loomed. By 2177, it became apparent that the peace could not last. With each passing day, the various factions of the Broken Banks seemed to be preparing for all-out war. The Families Albermarle Pact |-|Johnson= Founded: c.2100 Location: Elizabeth City Head of Household: Tad Johnson History: The Johnson Family was one of the first families to rise to power in the Broken Banks. Before rising to prominence, the Johnson family owned a fishing business along with a reliable agricultural business. During the difficult days after the Great War, the Johnson Family used these assets to feed the people of Elizabeth City, making a name for themselves as the Heroes of the Banks. Their status as saviors led to their celebration in the city. The Johnsons have arguably been responsible for the rise of the Houses of the Broken Banks. In the 2100s, the Johnsons traded with the now extinct Williams family, forging a powerful alliance in the northern Broken Banks. Some modern members of the Johnsons are related to the Williams, though their lineage is diluted at this point. At one point in time, the Johnsons and the Manteos arguably controlled the Broken Banks, dominating every other community with trade and military presence. After Manteo disappeared, the Johnsons were responsible for attempting to fill the trade gap left by Manteo. The family did what they could to ensure that the people of the Broken Banks were not disrupted. While this help was welcomed at first, the Johnsons were eventually shunned in the southern Broken Banks and in the Free States. Some, namely the Dixons, believed that the Johnsons of Elizabeth City had become too involved in the politics of the Broken Banks. Tensions rose between the northern and southern Banks quickly. While the Johnsons did take a step back in the way of involvement outside of the Albemarle Sound, they were the ones who had initially proposed the Outer Banks Defensive Alliance. Today, the Albemarle Pact is headed by the Johnson Family. While they nominally have given the Hawkes and the McCanns equal say in the doings of the Albermarle Pact, the Johnsons hold the most sway in decision making. This can cause tension within the Pact at times, though the other Albermarle Pact members realize that, without Elizabeth City, there is not much stopping these cities from being wiped off the face of the Banks in one swift, co-ordinated attack. The Johnsons are led by Tad Johnson, who has made it a point to step back in the affairs of the other members of the Broken Banks. His sons, however, believe that Elizabeth City should inherit the Broken Banks. After all, the Johnsons did save the Broken Banks from starvation countless times. Relations With Other Families The Johnsons are old money in the Broken Banks. They once owned the Broken Banks and they aim to remind everyone of this fact. The other houses, once grateful to the Johnsons for this, have become annoyed by this sentiment at best. In the Albermarle Sound, the Johnsons are tolerated and, in some cases, still celebrated. Hawke and Columbia are kept in line by the Johnsons. While the native families of these settlements grow weary of the Johnsons, they realize that they need them. They also fear what the Johnsons would do if Hawke and Columbia ever left the Albermarle Pact. In the southern and middle Banks, the Johnsons are seen as dominating and controlling. Anti-Johnson sentiment is high, with some ports in the Pamlico Sound actually refusing business with the Johnsons. They believe that the Johnsons wish to control the Broken Banks once again and establish complete and total dominance over the land. Whether or not this is actually true is open for debate. |-|Hawke= Founded: 2163 Location: Hawke Head of Household: Lucas Hawke History: Hailing from the city from which their name derives, the Hawke Family is a small, enigmatic clan of inventors, academics, and thinkers. Their first member, Anthony Hawke, was a man allegedly from the Commonwealths in the Northern United States. He had been sent to the area to record what had become of the island where humanity first discovered powered flight. It is reported that he chose to make his residence in the area, adopting the surname 'Hawke' and founding a small research community on this island. He gathered thinkers from the Broken Banks and from the Dukes of former Duke University. He reportedly spent most of his time trying to gather people for this island. Hawke wanted the best and the brightest and he arguably got them. During a trip to recruit more Dukes, he met a woman named Maria, who he later married. Anthony Hawke made a name for himself whilst traveling the wastelands. He is said to have a number of illegitimate children all over the Piedmont region of North Carolina, though very few of them travel to the Broken Banks. Under Anthony Hawke's guidance, the settlement of Hawke acquired a number of high-tech weapons and robots, though it should be noted that most of these robots are inactive. Hawke is also allegedly in possession of a number of planes that were acquired during Anthony Hawke's tenure. During the waning years of his wife's life, he began spending time and research on how to save her life before ultimately failing. Maria Hawke reportedly passed away in 2190 at the age of 60 due to cancer. This led to Anthony Hawke becoming even more reclusive. In 2223, over six decades since he had started his work in the Broken Banks, Hawke elected to prolong his life by having his brain placed in an upgraded Brainbot. He traveled to the Capital Wasteland in search of the Wright Flier. He was never seen again. The surviving Hawkes never followed in Anthony Hawke's footsteps. Though they occasionally traveled to Duke University, none of them left a legacy on the Broken Banks as profound as that of Anthony Hawke. Today, the Hawkes are led by the ambitious Lucas Hawke. He aims to make Hawke a powerful presence in the Broken Banks through any means necessary. His son, however, Tony Hawke, seems to have a problem with his father's goals. Relationships With Other Families: The Hawkes are seen as an enigma in most circles. The legacy of Anthony Hawke remains and all Hawkes are expected to be intelligent playboys with penchants for self-destructive habits and goals. The families in the Broken Banks believe that the Hawkes are generally well-meaning, though some believe that they may be involved with the disappearance of Manteo. Some see Hawke as a lapdog for Elizabeth City while others believe that the denizens of Hawke hold the opinion that they are 'too good for the Broken Banks' and aim to leave the area. Whatever the case, Hawke remains allied with Elizabeth City and Columbia for defense. One of their most active projects is discovering what happened to Manteo. Rumor has it that they've made a breakthrough... |-|McCann= Founded: 2189 Location: Columbia Head of Household: Christopher McCann History: The McCanns are the youngest family in the Albermarle Pact. They hail from Columbia, a settlement on the mouth of the Alligator River on the opposite side of the Albermarle Sound from Elizabeth City. The settlement, once believed to be pre-war Columbia, is actually several miles from the original town's location. Over time, this settlement made a name for itself. The most prosperous traders from the town, the McCanns became famous nearly overnight in 2189. The patriarch, Joseph McCann, put Columbia on the map in a matter of months after a hurricane damaged the trading efforts of Elizabeth City for some time. The 2190s, in fact, saw Columbia seemingly overtake Elizabeth City in population and, for a short time, GDP. Of course, easy come easy go. Another hurricane rolled through the Broken Banks, this time directly impacting Columbia. A Mirelurk invasion threatened trade for the McCanns. Joseph McCann, a very religious person, chose prayer over action. Obviously, this did not end well for Joseph McCann. He contracted dysentery and died in 2103, a mere fourteen years after he had made a name for himself in the Broken Banks. Columbia's trading industry faltered and, by 2205, Elizabeth City was undoubtedly back on top. While Columbia has somewhat recovered from these tragedies rolled into one, they will never forget their decade of power. Today, the McCanns are headed by Christopher McCann. Much like Joseph McCann, Christopher McCann is a racist, intolerant fanatic. Tradition keeps the McCanns in power. If anyone dared dishonor the legacy of Joseph McCann, they would oust the McCanns. This is unlikely. The McCanns signed the Albermarle Pact out of the hopes that Elizabeth City could pull them out of their slump. Again, this is unlikely. Relationships With Other Families: The McCanns were once the envy of the Broken Banks. In only a few short years, they humiliated the powerful Johnsons of Elizabeth City. Now, the McCanns are the laughing stock of the Broken Banks. Both Elizabeth City and Hawke have considered throwing the McCanns into the fire countless times. It is obvious that they are the weakest link in the Albermarle Pact. The southern and central Banks, however, blame the failures of Joseph McCann on the Johnsons and their lust for power. If the McCanns ever returned to power even for a short time, though, it isn't certain how the future of the Broken Banks would look, let alone the Albermarle Pact. Croatoan Free States |-|Turner= Founded: 2198 Location: Engelhard Head of Household: Mitch Turner History: Proudly representing the various city-states along the Croatoan Sound, the Turners fight to tooth and nail to ensure that both the Albermarle Pact and Pamlico Confederation do not establish a foothold in the central Broken Banks. The Turners are the only major house from the Croatoan Sound, but they speak for the various settlements and 'unaligned people' in their established territory. Once a colony from Elizabeth City, the Turners rebelled against the Johnsons in 2198, when House McCann had been in power in the Albermarle Sound. They have been likened to 'civilized raiders.' Most organized crime, piracy, and slavery rackets in the Broken Banks can be traced back to the Turners. The family doesn't deny it either; they believe that such activities belong in a truly free market. Ironically, the slavery hub of the Broken Banks claims to be the most free. They have prided themselves on their lack of alignment since Dale Turner led the Croatoan rebellion against Elizabeth City. There are over twenty settlements allied with the Turners. The Free States stretch as far into mainland North Carolina as Belhaven and Plymouth. Currently, the Free States are attempting to incorporate Washington into their sphere of influence, though Washington remains adamant in staying out of the affairs of the Broken Banks. The attempts of the Turner family are becoming more and more aggressive as the refusals by Washington stack. Some in Washington believe that the Turners are preparing for an invasion. Underneath this veil of freedom lies a group of communities seeded with fear. The disappearance of Manteo and other settlements on Roanoke Island has the inhabitants of the Free States terrified. Some believe that the only thing keeping the Free States in this coalition is fear. Despite this, House Turner presents perhaps the largest threat to trade in the Broken Banks. They could very well establish a blockade, restricting trade in the Broken Banks. As tensions rise and the Turners become more ambitious, the likelihood that this blockade will happen increases. Relationships With Other Families: Other families simply do not like the Turners and this isn't to say that they haven't desperately tried. The Turners have hindered all sides of the Broken Banks. As the factions of the Broken Banks drift apart, the one thing bringing them together is their hatred of House Turner. Non-aligned communities, though, believe that House Turner is a godsend, as do the various black market lines that travel through the Broken Banks. Pirates and raiders in the Broken Banks usually have made their homes in Turner Territory and most chems produced and distributed in the Broken Banks originated from the Free States. Pamlico Confederation Flora and Fauna The Broken Banks is relatively arid. While some sea grass exists, most of it is dead and dry. There are a few palm trees here and there, but the barrier islands remain an arid wasteland for the most part. Roanoke has retained its trees, taunting the other islands with its vegetation. The intelligent non-human species in the area include Ghouls and Swampfolk. The Crystal Coast is mostly inhabited by Ghouls. Feral ghouls are deported to the mainland, near Wilmington. The Swampfolk in the area inhabit the poorer areas of southern coastal North Carolina. Many non-intelligent species inhabit the area as well. Mirelurks regularly terrorize Hatteras Island, though they are known to appear on every island somewhere. The horses on Shackleford Island have mutated to become freakish, nearly human-horse hybrids called Satyrs. While they are peaceful, their mutations are not always uniform, leading to bubbling masses of flesh somewhere on most Satyrs. Locations Cities and Towns *Elizabeth City *Buxton *Hawke Landmarks & Geographic Features *Roanoke Island Vaults *Vault 110 Category:Places Category:Region Category:North Carolina